Web Exclusive :: Howe Wild Indeed!

Cheekwood's Howe Wild Auction and Plant Fair

Designing an event for Nashville's most prestigious garden club did not intimidate Mark O'Bryan, owner of the venerable The Tulip Tree in Nashville.

Designer Mark O'Bryan prepared wire structures that were placed atop the buffet tables.

For years, O'Bryan has been involved with the Howe Wild Auction & Plant Fair, put on annually by The Garden Club of Nashville. While he is certainly on a first-name basis with many of the gardeners involved, he knew that deriving one clear design vision when working with a botanically-astute 15-person committee can be daunting.

However, his recently epiphany concerning a certain color became his inspiration for the evening. A hint for the pros: The same hue was found on the benefit's invitation in the form of a turks cap lily.

"My new favorite color is orange, so we used some field-grown French tulips from California as our main flower," O'Bryan said. The punchy hue set the tone for his other floral oeuvres decorating the evening's auction party and dinner.

Event Chairs Lisa Campbell (l) and Sue Joyce.

The committee loved the results.

The event, chaired by Lisa Campbell and Sue Joyce, was held in late March in a grand modern hall at Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art in Nashville. It is the prime fundraiser for The Howe Garden within Cheekwood's glorious estate.

In his plans, O'Bryan had to take into consideration that Botanic Hall would be used for a silent auction, a live auction, cocktails and dinner. He solved the mixed-use issue perfectly by balancing three oversized wire structures overflowing with an abundance of spring blossoms atop the buffet tables.

Oversized Italian wire obelisks filled with viburnum, blooming cherry, and crabapple forced branches, were accented by the French tulips, vibrant deep purple anemones, and forced hyacinth bulbs.

Individual tables were clothed in natural burlap fabric with crisp, white underpinnings. Each table was centered with washed hyacinth bulbs, vibrant blue anemones, imported orange parrot tulips, and field grown orange ranunculus in square glass vases places.

Botanical photograph of a variety of Amsonia by J. Paul Moore

Framed photographs of botanicals by Nashville's renowned naturalist and horticulturalist J. Paul Moore hung on the walls, complementing the offerings on the silent-auction tables below.

This event – which boasts a unique auction – is the high point of the horticultural social season in Nashville.

"I love this event because it brings a variety of people together for the love of Cheekwood and its beautiful gardens," Sue Joyce said. "Where else can you learn about the hottest craze in the horticultural industry and have an opportunity to purchase the item all in one evening?"

Among other goodies, the auction featured trees associated with a half dozen of America's historical celebrities of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Up for grabs were a kissing oak from Sam Houston's stomping grounds, a southern magnolia associated with Elvis Presley, a Mark Twain Cave bur oak, a Wright Brothers sweetgum, a George Washington tulip poplar, and a redbud from just down the road at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage in Nashville.

But the most fervent bidding surrounded the Perkins Pink Yellowwood and a Bonfire Peach specimen, resplendent in full bloom.

In addition to the live auction, this plant connoisseur's event included a silent auction with more than 50 horticultural gems, all donated by regional nurseries and garden club members.

In keeping with the theme, guests were offered a Bleeding Heart martini made with vodka, Chambord, and pineapple juice. The evening's menu of passed appetizers and buffet was prepared by Danielle Kates of Kates Fine Catering and included grilled shrimp with cilantro yogurt sauce, tenderloin rolls, lollipop lamb chops and a delightful cheese soufflé. Dessert brought exquisite petit fours decorated with wildflowers made of icing.

May 2008 | By Emme Nelson Baxter | Photos by Cathy Brown, John Picklesimer & J. Paul Moore